Configurable and customizable furnishings

ABSTRACT

In an example embodiment, there is disclosed herein an apparatus, comprising a frame having a planer surface and a plurality of customizable pieces. The frame is configured to receive and hold the plurality of customizable pieces. The plurality of customizable pieces may be arranged and interconnected in any order. A glass cover is retained by the frame and covers the plurality of customizable pieces.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 of U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/153,569, filed Apr. 28, 2015.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure and related inventions include configurable andcustomizable furnishings such as furniture, wall hangings or paneldecoration, which include a plurality of interconnected, removable,reconfigurable and customizable components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings incorporated herein and forming a part of thespecification illustrate the example embodiments.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a customizable and configurablefurnishing in a horizontal orientation, such as, for example, a table.

FIG. 2 illustrates the configurable and customizable furnishing in avertical orientation, such as, for example, an embodiment that ismounted on a wall.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view illustrating how a piece fits into the planersurface.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the configurable and customizable furnishing.

OVERVIEW OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The following presents a simplified overview of the example embodimentsin order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the exampleembodiments. This overview is not an extensive overview of the exampleembodiments. It is intended to neither identify key or critical elementsof the example embodiments nor delineate the scope of the appendedclaims. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the exampleembodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detaileddescription that is presented later.

In accordance with an example embodiment, there is disclosed herein anapparatus, comprising a frame having a planer surface and a plurality ofcustomizable pieces. The frame is configured to receive and hold theplurality of customizable pieces. The plurality of customizable piecesmay be arranged and interconnected in any order. A glass cover isretained by the frame and covers the plurality of customizable pieces.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

This description provides examples not intended to limit the scope ofthe appended claims. The figures generally indicate the features of theexamples, where it is understood and appreciated that like referencenumerals are used to refer to like elements. Reference in thespecification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” or “an exampleembodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described is included in at least one embodimentdescribed herein and does not imply that the feature, structure, orcharacteristic is present in all embodiments described herein.

In representative embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying FIGS.1-4, a furnishing such as a table 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1 has aplanar surface 12 of a table top configured to receive and hold aplurality of pieces or components, indicated generally at 20, which areinterconnected in a particular arrangement on the table top 12, andwhich are removable, customizable and replaceable and/or reconfigurableon the table top as further described.

Some or all of the pieces 20 may be interconnected by for exampleinterlocking edges as shown in FIG. 4 in the form of dis-engagabletongue-and-groove interconnection to form a generally contiguousstructure and surface. Some or all of the pieces 20 may thereby beremoved from interlocked engagement with the other pieces andreconfigured or decorated or embellished as desired, as shown forexample in FIGS. 1-3. The pieces 20 may be made of wood, metal, plastic,or any other suitable material.

In order to enable creation of customized furnishing, one or more of thepieces 20 may be removed from or added to the interconnected assemblyand decorated or otherwise modified to have a different design andappearance. For example, the exposed surface of a piece 20 can bemodified to bear a design as illustrated. For pieces 20 which are madeof wood, designs may be applied in any medium including burning orcarving or any type of coating or pigment. Customized pieces 20 can bepositioned in the assembly in any arrangement as shown in order toprovide a unique appearance to the planar surface and to the furnishingoverall.

With the pieces 20 fully assembled to form the planar surface of thetable top, a glass cover GC is placed over the surface to protect eachof the individual pieces 20 and the surface overall.

FIG. 2 illustrates a furnishing of an alternate embodiment wherein theplanar surface 12 and associated frame F and pieces 20 are provided inthe form of a panel which may be hung vertically on a wall in the mannerof a wall furnishing such as a framed work. In this embodiment the glasscover GC is suitably retained within the frame and over the interlockedpieces 20.

Although described with reference to certain preferred and alternateembodiments, the disclosure includes other forms in which the conceptsand features of the disclosure could be embodied, such as for examplebut not limited to frames for the planar surface of different sizes andshapes, different numbers, sizes and shapes of the interlocking pieces,and different types of furnishings such as different types of furnitureand wall hangings.

1. An apparatus, comprising: a frame having a planer surface; aplurality of customizable pieces; wherein the frame is configured toreceive and hold the plurality of customizable pieces; wherein theplurality of customizable pieces are configured to be arranged andinterconnected in any order; and a glass cover that is retained by theframe and covers the plurality of customizable pieces.
 2. The apparatusset forth in claim 1, wherein the plurality of customizable pieces areinterconnected by interlocking edges.
 3. The apparatus set forth inclaim 2, wherein the interlocking edges are in the form of adis-engagable tongue and groove interconnection.
 4. The apparatus setforth in claim 1, wherein the customizable pieces are made of one of agroup consisting of wood, metal, and plastic.
 5. The apparatus set forthin claim 1, wherein a design on an exposed side of a one of theplurality of customizable pieces is modifiable.
 6. The apparatus setforth in claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of customizablepieces have different designs.
 7. The apparatus set forth in claim 1,wherein a first of the plurality of customizable pieces is removed fromthe frame and is replaced by a second customizable piece.
 8. Theapparatus set forth in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of legsattached to the frame forming a table.
 9. The apparatus set forth inclaim 1, wherein the planer surface, frame, and plurality ofcustomizable pieces are provided in the form of a panel configured to behung on a vertical surface.
 10. The apparatus set forth in claim 1,wherein a selected one of the plurality of customizable pieces ismodifiable by one of a group consisting of burning, carving, coveringwith a coating, and covering with a pigment.